Consultation on Drafting Legislation for National Service Programme Begins

Consultations between relevant stakeholders to draft legislation for the National Service initiative commenced on Sunday.

The consultation led by the Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development was held with Police and National Defence Force high-level officials.

According to the ministry, the first session took place on Sunday with representatives from MNDF and MPS to gather their perspectives for drafting the National Service Bill.

This initiative to implement a mandatory national service for youth who are neither studying nor employed was announced by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu last month during the Victory Day ceremony.

In his remarks, the President Maldives National Service Programme will be implemented every year from 2025 to increase the personnel at the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and the Maldives Police Service (MPS).

The President further said that Maldivians above the age of 16 who are unable to continue their academic life due to various reasons after completing their secondary education and are not eligible for employment can be recruited to the Maldives National Service Programme and recruited to the MNDF or Police Service.

The President stated that recent statistics indicate 500 to 1,000 children complete O-level qualifications but remain unemployed. However, the National Service Programme of the Maldives will help address this issue.

This recruitment will include approximately 4,000 personnel for military services and around 1,000 officers for the police service, the President had said.